NFL Rumors: Steelers make $25,000,000 Justin Fields decision one month after trading for ex-Bears QB
As Justin Fields got traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers a month ago from the Chicago Bears, many expected that the QB issue at the Steelers would be solved. However, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter, that does not seem to be the case.
Fields was drafted by the Bears 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. They signed him to an $18.8 million rookie contract for years with an option to extend the contract by one more year for $25 million. The Steelers will be paying the last year’s salary on that contract to Justin Fields.
However, as per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers are unwilling to exercise their option of activating the fifth-year clause within Fields’ contract. Schefter stated on X (previously Twitter):
“League sources do not expect the Steelers to pick up the $25 million fifth-year option on quarterback Justin Fields, whom the team acquired last month for a conditional 2025 6th-round pick. Fields and Russell Wilson both now will be entering the last year of their contracts.”
This comes mere hours after Steelers GM Oliver Kahn clarified his stance on the extension of Fields at the pre-draft press conference. GM Kahn said:
“Yeah, we have ‘till May. I’ve said this before we have until May 2nd to make that decision. So, we’ll focus on the draft this week, and I’m sure we’ll have some serious conversations about that next month.”
Only time will tell whether the Steelers’ focus on the draft could leave the 25-year-old QB hanging or with a worthwhile deal in his hands.
Justin Fields shares the issue across the board
As Schefter mentioned, apart from Justin Fields, the superstar QB Russell Wilson is also under the contract for only one year. The Steelers picked up Wilson last month as well after he was cut from the roster by the Denver Broncos.
The third QB signed to the Steelers team, Kyle Allen, also shares the issue with other QBs in the squad. He signed a one-year contract earlier this month with the Steelers. So heading into the 2024-25 season, the Steelers have all their QBs for merely one year.